Noise elimination system for pulse signal receivers



G. K JENSEN EIAL May 27, 1952 NOISE ELIMINATION SYSTEM FOR PULSE SIGNAL RECEIVERS 2 Sl-IEETS-Sl-IEET 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1945 RECEIVER SECTION UTILIZATION NETWORK ammo bow GA ROLD K. JENSEN I CARL M. RUSSELL VIGO N. SMITH m M l952 G. K. JENSEN EIAL 2,597,870

NOISE ELIMINATION SYSTEM FOR PULSE SIGNAL RECEIVERS Filed Aug. 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 CLIPPED BY l9 CLIPPED BY I8 Hum! CLIPPIED BY 19 B- L CLIPPED Y I8 GAROLD K. JENSEN CARL M. RUSSELL VIGO N SMLTH Patented May 27, 1952 LNOISE ELIMINATION SYSTEM FOR PULSE SIGNAL RECEIVERS Garold K. Jensen, United States-Navy, Carl M.

Russell; Washington, D. 0., and.Vig0.N-..Smith",,

Oakland, Calif.

Application August 8, 1945; SerialNo. 609,691

(Granted under the act of' March 3, 1883, as

1- Claim.

This invention relates. to a methodof and means for suppressing random noise signals from the output of a radio receiving system.

An object of this invention is to provide a means for suppressing random noise signals from the output of an ordinary pulse type receiver system.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means for generating an automatic volume ,control voltage, for varying the gain of a radio receiver system in such a manner that theamplitude of thedesired, output signal will remain unaffectedby the generaLnoise level.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent upon a careful-consideration of the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram, partly in block, of one embodiment ofthe invention; and

Figs. 2 and 3 show a series of waveforms which are useful in explaining the operation of the circuits shown in Fig. 1.

For purposes of illustration,.the systemof the invention is shown in Fig. 1 as; incorporated in an ordinary pulse type radio receiving system. Included in the receiving system are'a suitable antenna It), a receiver section I lwhich may comprisea suitable number of pres-amplifier; and detector stages, the apparatus of the invention, indicated in general at It, and a utilization network I'l. The-latter may be any suitable network vwhich is adapted to function in response to pulsesignals. The receiver sectionlmay .be either an ordinary tuned-radio-frequency or a super-heterodyne type.

Both random noise signals and bursts of radio frequency energy emitted by a distant transmitter to which the receiving system is tuned are picked up by the antenna and are amplified and detected in the receiver section I l. The output from this section may appear for example, similar to that shown by waveform A of Fig. 2. As illustrated by this waveform, the output from the receiver section II is unipolar, preferably positive, and consists of the desired pulse signal P emitted from a distant transmitter and a moderately high level of noise N.

The circuit of the invention is shown as comprising two vacuum tube stages i8 and l 9 through which the output from the receiver section H must pass to the utilization network 11. Stage I8 functions to reject all received signals below a first predetermined level and stage. [9 functions to limit all received signals above a second preamended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) determinedlevel. Stagev I8 is biasedbeyond cutoff by means of its cathode connection'to the'juncture point of resistances 23 and 25' which are connected in series between B+ and grOund. The cut-off bias C. O. for tube I8 is superposed on waveform A of Fig. land may be moved vertically from the baseline of the waveform Axby adjustment of the variable resistance'25'. Inthis manner tube 68 can be made to reject all-noise signals falling below the cut-off line C. 0; thereby permitting tube IB'to come into conduction and hence produce an output signal only during the occurrence of pulse P; As-tube: I8 conducts, the surge of current through it produces a negative voltage pulse across the plate load-resistancelfl. The negative signals available'at the plate'oftube 18; as shownby waveform B of 'Fig.2no longer contain the noise originally present betweenthe desired pulse signals since the general noisevoltages are not of sufiicient magnitude to" overcome the cathode bias on tube IS. The noise occurring during the pulse itself, however, still-appears on the signal. To eliminate this'noise, the second stage I9 is normally. biased conducting byway of the unbypassed cathode resistance 3|. The cutofi potential C. O. for tube 19 is superposed upon waveform B. Resistance 3| is selected so that the normal operating bias on'tube l9willpermit that tube to. be readily cutoff; therefore, noise appearing on the signal will merely drive the tube further intothe non-conducting region. As tube I9is driven to'cut-off by the negative-pulse signals obtainedfrom the plate of tube It; the plate voltage of tube it rises tothe platesupply voltage and thus causes to appear at the plate-of tube I9 a pulse somewhat as shown by waveform C of Fig. 2. As represented in waveform C, the desired pulse signal P may be accompanied by short random pulses O and R which represent noise signals occurring during the leading and trailing edges respectively of the desired pulse. Such noise pulses cannot be entirely eliminated but can be minimized if sufficient band width is provided in the previous stages so as to supply to tube [8 pulses with sharp leading and trailing edges. Generally such is the case and the extraneous pulses O and R are insignificant.

As is characteristic of most receiving systems, it is preferred to have the amplitude of the desired signal pulse and not the general noise level control the sensitivity of the receiver. For this type of operation, the coupling capacitance 20a in the grid circuit of tube I8 is arranged so that the positive pulses which appear at the output of the receiver section and which overcome 3 the bias on tube l8 cause the flow of grid current in this tube. As grid current flow takes place during the pulse the condenser 20a becomes charged. At the conclusion of the pulse, the charge on condenser 20a. is permitted to leak off through resistances 20 and 2| connected between the grid of tube I8 and ground. There is thus produced at the juncture of the resistances 20 and 2| a negative voltage which is directly proportional to the amplitude of the desired pulse signal in excess of the cathode bias of tube l8, and is ideally suited for controlling the sensitivity of the receiver according to customary automatic volume control principles. It is desired, however, that this negative automatic volume control voltage be filtered to permit smooth and reliable operation of the receiving system. For this purpose a capacitance 22 is connected between the juncture of resistances 20 and 2| and ground. The time constant circuit that this capacitance forms with the resistance 2| is chosen to be several times longer than the period between successive pulse signals. Therefore, since the voltage at the juncture of 20 and 2| is the result of the partial rectification of the peak signal, this voltage will serve mainly to produce a constant maximum output signal regardless of the general noise level.

In connection with the operation of tube l8 it should be pointed out that the cut-off level C. 0. shown superposed on waveform A of Fig. 2 is not only fixed by the cathode bias for tube l8 but is also a function of the amount of charge on the grid coupling capacitance 20-11. In particular the greater the peak amplitude of the received pulse the greater the charge on the coupling capacitance. In Fig. 3 two waveforms illustrating the effects that indifferent amplitude signals have on the cut-off bias for tube 18 are shown. In waveform A a high peak amplitude g signal having low level noise superposed thereon is shown. Under this condition the average grid current flow for tube I8 is high and the cut-off bias C. O. rises correspondingly. In waveform B a low level signal having low level noise superposed thereon is shown. Under this condition the average grid current fiow in tube I8 is low and the cut-off bias for tube l8 drops correspondingly. As the desired signal increases in amplitude the capability of the system to reject stray signals and noise increases proportionally since the region between the two clipping levels moves up or down with variations in pulse amplitude.

Although we have shown and described a cer-- tain and specific embodiment of the present invention, we are fully aware of the many modifications possible thereof, therefore, this invention is not to be restricted except insofar as necessitated by the spirit of the prior art and the scope of the appended claim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

In a pulse receiving system, a receiver having a number of amplifier stages and a detector stage, a noise reducing circuit comprising, a first amplifier means connected to the output of the detector stage biased to be driven to the extreme of grid conduction by input received signals of usable amplitude, a second amplifier means connected to the output of said first amplifier means biased to be driven into the anode current cutoff region by signals applied thereto, bias developing means for the first amplifier means responsive to grid conduction thereby to develop signal varying bias therefor, and a signal conduction path from said bias developing means to the amplifier stages of the receiver operative to vary the amplification thereof inversely in dependency on the amplitude of received signals.

GAROLD K. JENSEN. CARL M. RUSSELL. VIGO N. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,061,734 Kell Nov. 24, 1936 2,246,939 Holmes June 24, 1941 2,273,098 Foster Feb. 17, 1942 2,277,000 Bingley Mar. 17, 1942 2,304,713 Smith Dec. 8, 1942 2,356,140 Applegarth Aug. 22, 1944 2,356,141 Applegarth Aug. 22, 1944 2,395,615 Curtis Feb. 26, 1946 2,428,011 Chatterjea et a1. Sept. 30, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 114,997 Australia Apr. 23, 1942 

